Posted on 08/26/2016 7:27:58 AM PDT by gigster
My most famous or influential people include Red Skelton, B. B. King, Tim Allen at a party, and Tom Gale, The designer and collaborator with Bob Lutz on the Dodge Viper and variants.
I may have been at that same Ford rally in Ames.
I met and had several beers with Jack Sweigart, the command pilot on Apollo 13.
I’ve chatted with Ann Coulter, Frank Gaffney, and David Horowitz. Shook hands with Grace Slick and Linda Ronstadt and rode in an elevator with Ann & Nancy Wilson from Heart.
Sarah Palin
Fred Thompson
Bob Kerrey
Ben Nelson
Mike Johanns (former senator and secy of agriculture)
Chuck Hagel (that guy is a major jerk)
Karl Rove (ditto)
Pete Ricketts (current governor of Nebraska and my former boss)
Joe Ricketts (founder of Ameritrade and part owner of the Chicago Cubs)
Hank Williams Jr.
Frank Zappa
Lee Greenwood
Andrew Luck
Johnny Rodgers (Heisman Trophy Winner)
Eric Crouch (Heisman Trophy Winner)
Bob Devaney
Tom Osborne
Neil Smith (All Pro Defensive end for the Broncos was a friend in college)
Dave Rimington (Most decorated college lineman in history. Has an award named after him)
Terence Simian (Zydeco musician who has won two Grammy awards)
I have shaken hands with Michael Anthony and Sammy Hagar. I didn’t formally meet them but I am going to see “the Circle” next weekend. I sprung for the VIP deal so I am hoping there is some kind of a meet and greet.
I was on Rockline back in the 80’s and spoke with the late great Stevie Ray Vaughan on the phone.
My father in law has met a bunch of famous people. Nixon, Ford, Carter and Reagan. Mickey Mantle, Roger Maris, Whitey
Ford, Johnny Unitas, John Mackey, Terry Bradshaw, Bart Starr, Pete Rose. He was friends with alot of the guys he played football with that went on to bigger things. Jim Walden (former head coach of Iowa State) Warren Powers (former head coach of Missouri), Monte Kiffin (one of the most influential defensive coaches/coordinators in NFL history and architect of the “Tampa 2” defense and father of Lane Kiffin who my wife babysat for when he as a toddler)
You sound like a blues aficionado. Do you remember ZZ Hill? His niece was my first wife, so I was a member of the family. ZZ was a laid back, decent guy, as I remember.
I didn’t spend that much time with him, but we always went to his shows whenever he played Los Angeles, and of course he spent time hanging with the folks.
It was on the Iowa State University campus. A guy I worked with at Hardee’s had me working as an usher for the GOP so I was maybe 10 feet away from the podium.
Rudy Giuliani
Clyde Tombaugh, who discovered of the planet Pluto. Sat next to him at several Astronomy Society meetings in Las Cruses, NM. He was very nice had a good sense of humor. He always wore a Disney Watch with Pluto on it.
(Then) Vice President George H.W. Bush. I said, “Ooooooh, nice to meet you, Mr. Vice President!”
He was tall.
I had a family member who played for the Braves and the Reds in the '70s and '80s, so I met several of his teammates.
And I have met and/or played with several notables in the music world. Don't want to name any, but I will say this: Sonny Rollins is the nicest person I've ever met.
Barry Goldwater early 80s.
The real one.
I shook W’s hand but I wouldn’t say I met him.
Forgot Vaclav Havel (he was very nice, and VERY short.) Merle Haggard. How could I FORGET??
As my wife met Elvis, I don’t brag much about meeting Colonel Sanders while at family gatherings.
Does Richard Nixon count? Shared an elevator in the Okura Hotel with Henry Kissinger once, too.
That, FRiend, is one AMAZING list among a whole thread of amazing lists .. the stories you must’ve heard !
Vice President George Bush reenlisted me onboard USS Enterprise (CVN-65) in August 1985.
A friend and former business colleague of mine was in Airlift Command for twenty years and was on the presidential travel detail for Reagan, Bush Sr., and Hillary’s un-indicted co-conspirator. I asked him what he thought of Reagan and all he said was “I loved that man”.
Jesse Owens. I was working on a Rose Parade float and was the youngest worker, by far. He was touring the facility we were working in (next to the Rose Bowl, in the Arroyo) and sat next to me and started to ask me a bunch of questions about float building. Real nice guy. The only person I’ve ever asked for an autograph.
Second would be Louis Zamperini.
My mother-in-law, who was a famous artist. Met several folks at her home at parties... Ariana Huffington, Gloria Allred, and an assortment of folks like that.
I built the Joel Wachs for Mayor web site when he was running for mayor of Los Angeles, but only worked with his campaign manager Peter Bergman (famous for being part of Firesign Theater).
Gene Rayburn, Bess Myerson, Hugh Downs after their game shows in NYC. They were all very kind, giving a kid their autographs, along with some friendly small talk.
Larry Bird, folded up into an airport gate seat across from me at Boston airport, early ‘90’s. I had just bought a postcard of Boston Garden, which he autographed for me for my Dad, a huge fan. Nobody else at my gate noticed him. We chatted quietly until his flight was announced at another gate. He unfolded and headed for the VIP gate across the way. He was noticed by others as he crossed the concourse, and camera flashes began to pop amid considerable excitement.
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